Resilience
Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to adapt successfully in the face of stress and adversity. Living with serious illness is a stressful event that impacts a person’s emotional and physical health and as such their overall resilience. Studies have shown that building resilience in people coping with serious illness leads to improvements in physical function, mental health, and overall quality of life.
Our research in this area focuses on helping patients build resilience by teaching them coping skills with the goal of finding meaning and purpose in life, increasing positive emotions, and accessing social support.
Self-System Therapy for Older Adults with Advanced Lung Cancer (SST-LC)
We recently completed a study among older adults with advanced lung cancer to enhance their psychological well-being and physical functioning. The intervention taught patients to set promotion-focused goals (making good things happen) and prevention-focused (keeping bad things from happening). Results indicated that the intervention improved the patient's overall functioning and quality of life. We propose developing and initially validating Self-System Therapy for Lung Cancer (SST-LC). This pilot project used Self-system therapy (SST), an empirically validated intervention to treat depression and lung-cancer-related distress in older adults (65 years and older). The intervention was refined and adapted using interviews, focus groups, and videoconference (VC) technology with patients. Our results indicate that SST-LC is acceptable and feasible for older adults with advanced lung cancer. We also found improvements in depression, physical functioning, and quality of life.
This study was funded by the Duke Roybal Center.
Resilience Measurement, Prediction, and its Role in Older Adults with Late-Stage Lung Cancer
We recently completed a study to support people over 65 years of age with lung cancer to enhance their resilience and coping. The intervention focused on how people can better approach their goals, daily tasks, and challenges and cope with poor mood. Results of this study indicate that participants felt more confident in dealing with their cancer, were more resilient, and experienced an overall positive attitude and affect.
These studies were funded by the National Institute of Health.